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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
This is a first draft of a story set in the world of Greyhawk.
It is based on a home campaign so some of the people, places and things
may be different. Any helpful comments or suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks
Jason Zavoda
Gytha yawned and put the back of her hand to her mouth. She'd
sprang awake when Ghibelline had spoken her name, but relaxed when she'd
seen that it was only him, reassured that nothing was wrong by the
wistful smile on his face.
"We are moving to another room." Ghibelline told her.
"That's good," she yawned again, "wake me when your done."
"Gytha, Gytha. " Ghibelline gave her shoulder a shake.
She didn't reply but rolled onto her side then pushed herself to
her feet. "Which way?" she asked still half-asleep.
Ghibelline took a handful of burning sticks from the fire,
they provided a feeble light. The elf had no need, but Gytha was blinded
by the dark. "This way, its the only way." he said to her.
"Don't wake me." she mumbled.
* * *
"How far have we gone?" Talberth whispered.
"Not far, three hundred paces or so." said Harold, "Why are you
whispering?" the halfling found himself whispering as well.
"I don't like this tunnel." said Talberth.
"This?" Harold glanced around him.
"You have more room than me," Talberth reached up and braced his
arm against the ceiling, "the tunnel is getting smaller. I thought so."
"Big people." Harold mumbled. "This is a thoroughfare."
"For you," Talberth replied, "but it's getting smaller."
Harold paused and walked from one side of the passage to the
other and felt at the corner where the wall met the floor. He took a
heavy pouch from his belt, it gave a dull clink as he undrew the string.
A lead sling bullet rolled out into the palm of his hand, Harold placed it
against the corner of the wall where the claws of the gibberlings had not
reached. It rocked for a moment then began to roll the way they were
headed picking up speed with every revolution of the sphere. With a quick
grab Harold snatched up the bullet and dropped it back within his pouch.
"It's getting narrower too," said Harold, "and we are going down,
but even I don't feel it. This is cunning work, there may even be a slight
curve to the passage."
"How far down have we gone?" asked Talberth.
"I can't tell," Harold glanced at the ceiling, "odd that the
roof has lowered. We may be under something, another chamber or passage,
a secret room maybe."
Talberth knocked on the ceiling with the knuckles of his hand,
the stone rang solid. Harold gave a laugh.
"I don't think a secret room or passage would be hidden so
poorly," said Harold, "not in a place that has been built with such care."
"Let's go on then, maybe the entrance is somewhere ahead." said
Talberth.
"I haven't seen anything yet," Harold told the mage, "but I
haven't been looking. We could double back."
Talberth thought for a moment then shook his head. "No, we don't
have the time. It will slow us down too much. Keep your eyes open."
"That I've been doing, and I trust my instincts, but searching
takes time." Harold said. "If I don't look, I'm not likely to find.
It's either spend the time looking or miss anything there is to find."
"Which may be nothing." Talberth added. "No, no, let's see where
this passage leads before we start going over every inch of the ground."
"This tunnel should lead somewhere," said Harold, "they put in
a huge amount of work making it. I just hope there is something worthwhile
at its end."
* * *
(To Be Continued...)